Uzbekistan group tour for Spanish speakers
Accommodation, guides, transport, the train included.
Uzbekistan group tour for Spanish speakers Highlights
An 8-day group tour of Uzbekistan's Silk Road cities with a Spanish-speaking guide: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. The journey brings the country's history and culture to life, from the architectural masterpieces of the Timurid era to the legacy of the empires of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Timur (Tamerlane), who made Samarkand the capital of his state.
In Tashkent you visit the Hazrati Imam Complex, the Chorsu Bazaar and the richly decorated stations of the Tashkent Metro, and watch plov being cooked in giant cauldrons at the Besh Qozon plov centre. A high-speed train takes you to Samarkand for two days at the Registan, the Gur-e Amir mausoleum of Tamerlane, the Bibi-Khanym Mosque and the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, with a wine tasting at a family winery.
From Bukhara, with the Lyabi-Hauz ensemble and its 16th-century covered bazaars, the road crosses the Kyzylkum Desert along the Amu Darya to Khiva, whose walled inner city Ichan Kala is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along the way you stroll through colorful local bazaars, taste Uzbek cuisine and enjoy the hospitality of the locals.
Difficulty: Easy Guided city walking tours on mostly flat ground, one long drive of 440 km (Bukhara – Khiva, 6–7 hours) and a high-speed train journey; no altitude.
Tour Itinerary
Arrival in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. You are met at the airport and transferred to the hotel. Check-in is from 14:00. The rest of the day is free to rest after the journey.
Tashkent
Overnight: Tashkent (Hotel)
After breakfast you explore Tashkent, whose main historical and architectural monuments are concentrated in the old part of the city. At 11:00 the tour of the old town starts at the Hazrati Imam Complex (Khast-Imam), with Khast-Imam Square, the Barak-Khan Madrasah, the Tillya Sheikh Mosque and the Kaffal-ash-Shashi Mausoleum, a popular pilgrimage site for Muslims. Next you visit the Kukeldash Madrasah, built in 1570 under the Sheibanid dynasty, and Chorsu Bazaar, the oldest market in Tashkent and a historic stop on the Silk Road. Lunch is at the legendary Besh Qozon Central Asian Plov Centre, where master chefs cook up to ten tons of plov a day in giant cauldrons. Watch how rice, meat and spices are combined, then enjoy this famous Uzbek dish. In the afternoon you see the modern city centre: Independence and Eternity Square with its fountains and monuments, Amir Timur Square and the Opera and Ballet Theatre square. The day ends with a ride on the Tashkent Metro, whose stations are unique works of architecture and decoration, like a museum of Uzbek history and culture. Transfer back to the hotel.
Hazrati Imam complex, Kukeldash Madrasah, Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent Independence Square, Amir Temur Square, Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre, Tashkent metro
Overnight: Tashkent (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast you take the morning high-speed train from Tashkent to Samarkand (309 km), one of Uzbekistan's most famous cities with more than 2,750 years of history. On arrival the sightseeing starts at the Registan, the most famous square in Central Asia, framed by the Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor and Tillya-Kori madrasahs. Next you visit the Gur-e Amir Mausoleum, the tomb of the great Tamerlane (Amir Timur), and continue to the Ak-Saray and Rukhobod mausoleums. After lunch the tour continues to the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, once one of the largest mosques in the Muslim world, and Shah-i-Zinda, a magnificent necropolis whose buildings reflect the city's long history.
Registan, Gur-e Amir Mausoleum, Ak-Saray Mausoleum, Rukhobod Mausoleum, Bibi-Khanym Mosque and Mausoleum, Shah i Zinda
- Tashkent → Samarkand (309 km)
Overnight: Samarkand (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
In the morning you stroll through Siab Bazaar, Samarkand's oldest oriental market, full of local produce and handcrafted goods. In the afternoon you visit the Ulugh Beg Observatory and Museum (Ulugh Beg, the grandson of Tamerlane, was a renowned ruler and scientist) and the Afrasiyab Museum of the ancient city. Then you continue to Bagizagan Winery, a family estate that has produced wines and brandies for five generations. Learn about local grape growing, tour the winery and enjoy a guided wine tasting. In the evening you return to the Registan to see the illuminated madrasahs.
Siyob Bazaar, Ulugbek Observatory, Afrasiyab, Bagizagan Winery, Registan
Overnight: Samarkand (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast you drive to Bukhara (270 km, about 4 hours), one of the oldest cities in the world and a major political, cultural and religious centre of the Silk Road. On arrival you visit the Lyabi-Hauz ensemble with the Kukeldash and Nadir Divan-Begi madrasahs, and the 16th-century covered bazaars where traditional crafts are still sold. In the afternoon you see the 10th-century Samanid Mausoleum, the Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum with its sacred spring, and the 17th-century Bolo-Hauz Complex.
Lyabi-Hauz Ensemble, Trading Domes of Bukhara, Samanids Mausoleum, Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum, Bolo Hauz Complex
- Samarkand → Bukhara (270 km)
Overnight: Bukhara (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, at 8:00, you leave by road for Khiva (440 km, 6–7 hours), crossing the Kyzylkum Desert along the Amu Darya River on the historic Silk Road route once used by countless caravans. Kyzylkum means "Red Sand", named after the reddish color of the local sand. Several stops along the way let you admire the dunes and the views over the Amu Darya. On arrival you check in at the hotel and have free time. In the evening you walk through Ichan Kala, visiting local workshops and shopping for souvenirs.
Kyzylkum Desert, Amu Darya, Khiva
- Bukhara → Khiva (440 km)
Overnight: Khiva (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
Khiva is an extraordinary historical city, often called an open-air museum. After breakfast you tour its inner city, Ichan Kala, a walled UNESCO World Heritage Site preserved as it was in the past. You visit the Pakhlavan Makhmoud Mausoleum, the Kunya-Ark Fortress and the Islam Khodja Madrasah and Minaret. In the afternoon you continue to the Tash-Khauli Palace, the Allakuli Khan Madrasah, the Juma Mosque and the Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasah.
Pakhlavan Makhmoud Mausoleum, Kunya-ark fortress, Islam Khoja Minaret, Tach Khaouli Palace, Madrasahs of Khiva, Juma mosque, Mohammed Amin Khan Madrassah
Overnight: Khiva (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast you are transferred to Urgench Airport (34 km, about 40 minutes) for your flight home. End of the tour.
Urgench
- Khiva → Urgench (34 km)
Meals: Breakfast
Download the itinerary
Tour Price
Group Tour Price
| ★★★ | ★★★★ |
|---|---|
|
$970 / person
Single room supplement: $175 |
$1,348 / person
Single room supplement: $460 |
What's included
Included
- Spanish-speaking guide
- Airport transfers on arrival in Tashkent and departure from Urgench
- Comfortable air-conditioned transportation
- 7 nights in double/twin rooms with breakfast (3★ or 4★ hotels): 2 in Tashkent, 2 in Samarkand, 1 in Bukhara and 2 in Khiva
- Meals: 7 breakfasts and 1 lunch in Tashkent
- Wine tasting in Samarkand
- Excursions according to the program
- Entrance fees to monuments and museums as per the program
- High-speed train ticket Tashkent – Samarkand (economy class)
- Mineral water daily during the trip
Not included
- International flights
- Meals not listed in the program
- Insurance and medical expenses
- Fees for taking photos or videos at restricted sites
- Tips for drivers and guides
- Any services not mentioned under Included
Nargiza is the office manager of Central Asia Guide and mostly responsible for multi country "Stan" tours.
Good to know
- Guide language: The tour is guided in Spanish.
- Departures: The tour starts on a Monday with arrival in Tashkent and ends on the following Monday with the transfer to Urgench Airport.
- Hotels: Check-in from 14:00 and check-out until 12:00.
- Train tickets: High-speed train tickets Tashkent – Samarkand are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed in advance.
Uzbekistan travel information
Practical essentials for travelling in Uzbekistan. Open a topic to read more.
Visa policy
Find your country from the list and check possible visa requirements for Uzbekistan before booking.
The local currency is the Uzbek sum. Uzbekistan is still mostly a cash economy, but money is easy to exchange and ATMs are common in the larger cities.
Exchanging money
Banks exchange US dollars, euros, British pounds and Japanese yen. There are exchange offices in major cities such as Bukhara and Khiva and at Tashkent airport; elsewhere you need a bank, which often gives a better rate anyway. Your notes must be in pristine condition. Sum is hard to exchange outside Uzbekistan, but you can change it back to US dollars at a local bank.
Cards and ATMs
Cards are accepted in upscale hotels and restaurants in Tashkent and the main tourist cities, with Visa more widely recognised than Mastercard and a standard 3% commission. ATMs dispense sum and are easy to find in the larger cities; many also offer US dollars.
Uzbekistan is generally a safe destination, with little religious extremism and few crimes against foreigners.
Documents
Always carry your passport: it is a legal requirement, and police carry out routine checks.
Getting around
- Use licensed taxis. Local taxi apps are the easiest way to get a ride at local prices, and Yandex works very well in Tashkent and Samarkand. If you take a taxi on the street or at the airport, agree the price first.
- Many roads outside Tashkent, especially in the Tian Shan and Fan mountains, are in poor condition. Driving standards are generally low, and rural roads are often unlit, so night driving is riskier.
- On night trains, keep valuables safe, do not leave belongings unattended and lock the compartment door from the inside.
- Watch your belongings as you would anywhere, and avoid demonstrations and large gatherings.
Laws and customs
- Possessing narcotics is strictly illegal.
- Same-sex relationships are illegal and still socially condemned. Avoid public displays of affection.
- Drones are in practice banned. Permits can be applied for but are very rarely granted.
Photography
Be discreet near government buildings such as the Palace of Forums in Tashkent, and sometimes at local markets that see few tourists. Restrictions have eased, but check before photographing near airports, border checkpoints, military sites, bridges and police stations.
Earthquakes
Uzbekistan is prone to earthquakes, mostly tremors, though stronger ones occasionally occur.
Entering Uzbekistan is straightforward when your documents are in order. Citizens of many countries can visit visa-free, and for many others a visa is easy to get without an invitation.
Registration
Registration rules are stricter than elsewhere in Central Asia: by law you must be registered within 3 days of arrival. Hotels usually do this for you, but register yourself if you stay longer than 3 days in, for example, a rented apartment. Border officers check the registrations when you leave and may ask for the paper slips, so keep them until you exit the country.
Customs
Exporting handcrafted items older than 50 years is prohibited. At land borders, customs officers may check your phone and photos for explicit or confidential material, though this has become very rare.
The best times to visit Uzbekistan are spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November), between the summer heat and the winter cold.
Summer
At the height of summer the land dries out, especially in the countryside, and temperatures rise well above 30°C, often up to 40°C.
Winter
From November to March it can get cold, sometimes below zero, but the skies are mostly clear and bright. Snow is occasional and usually melts within a day or two.
Medical services in Uzbekistan have improved in recent years but are still limited, so good travel insurance that includes evacuation is essential.
Food and water
To avoid traveller's diarrhoea, drink only bottled, filtered or boiled water, and do not use tap water for brushing your teeth or for ice. Choose meat and fish that are thoroughly cooked and served hot.
Medical care
Uzbekistan has a state healthcare system and a small private sector. Larger clinics serve the cities and regional hospitals the countryside. Hospitals usually ask for payment in cash up front, even if you are insured, and serious cases may need evacuation home. Contact your insurer straight away if you need urgent care, and check before you leave what your insurance covers in Uzbekistan.
Medicines
Pharmacies are private, and the range of medicines can be limited. Prescriptions generally require a doctor's consultation. If you travel with medication, check the rules with the embassy, a consulate or Uzbekistan's Ministry of Health.
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